Ian McCulloch – Holy Ghosts/ Pro Patria Mori (Edsel
Records)
CD/DL
22 April 2013
On receipt, I assumed this was one of those ‘my new
album with some of my sold stuff just in case you don’t like the new one and so
you can remember who I am’ cds. I was
wrong. Hat you actually have is the
‘Holy Ghosts’ package of two cds. In a
way, Mac has slipped up here, because the each album is of such uncompromising
quality that he could quite easily have made it two releases.
Taking into consideration my (incorrect) assumption, I
played ‘Pro Patria Mori’ first. In short, it’s an album of quite outstanding
quality. Incredibly catchy songs. Emotional, brooding and stark, they will make
you feel good and occasionally make you ponder – the opening lines of track
one, ‘Different Times’, complete with string section are case in point, “Babies
come and babies go.....babies live and babies die”. See what I mean? There are no holds barred on this.
Several of the songs here could have nestled quite
easily on Echo & The Bunnymen’s undoubted finest moment, 1984’s ‘Ocean
Rain’, surely one of the greatest albums ever made (if you have never heard it,
you should be ashamed of yourself).
Songs with superb structure and arrangement. ‘Lift Me Up’ is simply wonderful, doing
exactly what it says on the sleeve, starting from meagre beginnings and rising
to a lovely tribute to a loved one.
Title track, ‘Pro Patria Mori’, complete with angelic
choral arrangement is unforgettable, and, I found it slightly strange listening
to McCulloch sing words of meaning after listening to him sing about
cauliflowers and cabbages thirty years ago, and it’s great, it adds to the
journey.
The melodies roll on, ‘Fiery Flame’, The Party’s Over’
and ‘Watch Me Land’ instantly memorable, the later would quite nicely fit into
David Bowie’s Major Tim series which is ironic as ‘Me And David Bowie’ is
next. Yes, he’s clearly a hero (sorry),
allegedly showing Ian how to hold and smoke a cigarette properly, and, with a
line like “how to my overcoat so cool that I could freeze the Sun”, you really
can’t go wrong. There’s a loveliness in
the line “Tell me what’s gone on, tell me nothing’s wrong” where he asks where
David is, clearly written and recorded before the Thin White Duke’s surprising
return this year.
‘Holy Ghosts’ is a live album, recorded almost twelve
months ago at the Union Chapel in London.
Playing acoustic guitar himself and accompanied by Ian Broudie
(Lightning Seeds), piano/keyboards and a four piece string section, he brings
new dimensions to his own and Bunnymen classics. The PR notes to the album say that the night
was enchanting and Ian sang like a diamond.
They aren’t wrong.
Produced by Youth (Killing Joke), it’s
stunning. ‘Bring On The Dancing Horses’ is given a completely new lease of life
as are ‘Rescue’, ‘The
Killing Moon’ and ‘Lips Like Sugar’. The versions
are almost faultless with Ian’s voice exuding emotion and power, maybe giving
an insight as to where his new direction may lie? New life is breathed into the
tracks and they shine. Any criticism? He didn’t do ‘Thorn Of Crowns’ but it’s a
lame complaint and one that is purely selfish on my part.
A brilliant album.
9/10
Piublished on Louder Than War 23/04/13 -
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